motorcyclers….please read

This message is going to come across as possibly pius, but please understand the situation behind this post.
PLEASE WEAR YOUR HELMETS AT ALL TIMES.

At 11:30 this morning, 5 miles east of Abbotsford on Hwy 29, I was witness to something that is forever going to change my life, especially with regards to motorcycles. I want to prefice this story by saying I am a past owner of 3 bikes, and did not always wear a helmet.

At 11:30, an old lady T-boned a Yamaha motorcycle which had a husband/wife on it. I was 3 cars behind the accident and pulled off to lend assistance. What I saw was probably the most gruesome sight I have ever seen. The male was NOT wearing a helmet and was sprawled on the gravel. His entire head was covered with blood, and limbs were at unnatural angles. My immediate attention was placed on the female who WAS wearing a helmet. She was coherent and was able to wiggle her fingers. Another person who stopped was in the process of calling 911, when we thought we noticed very shallow breathing from the male. He was in such bad shape that we figured that moving him in any way would not be good. Within 5 minutes, the ambulance arrived and I had to witness the paramedics pronouncing him dead and covering his body. A Flight for Life was called for the female. I am praying for her well being as I write this.

I can not imagine the pain and anguish this female is going to have to endure the rest of her life. Would a helmet have changed the scenario? Only God can answer that question. It wouldn’t have hurt the situation, though.

nubbin,

You just saw how fast life can change for all of us! that is a good reminder to always wear saftey equipment, ie lifejackeets and just be carefull. accidents happen, that is something that we can’t change. thanks for the story

shane

Nubbinbuck,

Things like this have a way of bringing to light, what’s really important in life. Your family’s value just increased some…………..even after you may have thought they couldn’t be loved any more than they already were.

Your awareness of life’s value has just been sharpened, and it’s fragility more recognized.

Moments like these can’t be kept in but not everyone would turn to a resource that can spread this message the way you just have. In a way, you’ve just given the whole world a big hug…………..and in these words, I hope you can feel one being returned to you.

Thank you for thinking of all of us and encouraging us to learn a lesson minus the experience.

Yes…………..only God knows why and when………….and it gets difficult to deal with at times………..so tonight I share a prayer for you………..that you’ll quickly rediscover the courage and confidence to trust in His purpose and live out your days with a peace that passeth all understanding.

If you just need to bend an ear, I happen to have two of them and will have no problem whatsoever in lending you one.

Take Care and Be Well,

Ken

ken,

very nicely put, I was trying for something along the same lines. I just couldn’t seem to get the wording correct without it sounding stupid. I have to agree, I appreciate the thought of others looking out for us in the community and sharing a lesson that can be learned without it being the hard way.

thanks

shane

I was shocked to find out this morning (after reading this post last night) that this couple in the accident were people that we know and have ridden motorcycle with in the past. The only thing that I know right now is that she is still in the hospital and I do not know her condition. I hope to get an update later this morning.

I also know that all of your prayers for their family would be greatly appreciated! What a tragic event that will change the course of many lives.

Thank you Kristin, for giving us a resource. Our prayers will be with her and her family and friends.

Man hate to hear about stories like this, first off the driver of the car should be put in jail and the keys thrown away, maybe take their first born and toss them off a bridge, but just watch nothing will ever happen to the driver of the car, thats how it always is… I feel sick after reading stuff like this.

Secondly I don’t care how cool or not cool riding without a helmet is, but the decision to not wear one can cost you your life, this is the second story I’ve heard today about a moto crash, the first one she was at fault and hit the back of a car, but she was wearing gear, and there is hardly a scratch on her (still she was lucky), now this, Sure I believe you can choose to wear a helmet or not, it’s not law to wear one, but the one of the biggest factors in me wearing a helmet, is not really my well being so to speak, it’s my family’s, I feel it’s my duty and job to come home each day, wither I was out riding or out fishing.

BE safe out there guys, look both ways for cars, truck and motorcycles. I can’t say that more than enough, it a good habbit to be in, not just at stop signs and stoplights, but look around anytime you are going through a intersection. I lost a cousin a year ago when she pulled out in front of a car.

*rant off*

Nick (mn- (minnesota) rst- (my motorcycle) rider)

This kind of story always reminds me of the time that I asked my dad if I could get a motorcycle. He said that he’d consider it, but that he wanted me to meet someone first. My dad drove me to visit a client of his. My dad was a lawyer in private practice. We went to Bethesda Hospital behind the state capital building. We introduced me to a gentleman who through no fault of his own lost both of his legs in a motorcyle on semi-truck accident. The truck pulled out in front of him, and he had to put the bike into a slide so that he wouldn’t hit the truck broadside. The slide took him directly under the truck’s back set of trailer tires. Being fully loaded, the truck crushed pretty much every bone in both of his legs. He said to me, “Steve, just promise me you wont ride a motorcycle”. Being rather young, around 7-8, I was pretty horrified by the idea of never being able to walk again. I promised him that I would not ever ride one. I haven’t.
This is not intended in any way shape or form to say that other people can’t, or even shouldn’t ride them. It’s just a story of a man whose life changed forever in an instant, and the impact that it had on me. I firmly believe that it’s usually not the motorcyclist who is responsible for most accidents, it’s the inattentive drivers of cars. Of course I did see a guy holding a cell phone to his ear while driving down the road on his bike. the other day.

My prayers are with the families involved with this accident and pray that there is full recovery for the lady riding the motorcycle.

God bless,
Steve

When I was about 12 years old our station wagon was broad sided by a 13 year old riding his dirt bike down the rode. The sun was directly in his eyes and he never saw us. I was sitting behind my Dad when the kid’s head slammed into the jam between the driver side door and my door….about a foot from my head. Luckly the guy had a helmet on and only (ya only) had a minor concussion and some bruises. I always thought it would be fun to ride but never have and probably never will (unless bikes are the only things on the road).

Our payers are with her family and friends.

I felt very saddened by the death of this motorcyclist as I once drove motorcycles for 18 years and have done many other things that are known to be dangerous to my health and life.

Our human race is very strange as we do things that substantially increase the chances of an injury or early death: we smoke, are overweight, don’t exercise enough, drink too much, don’t protect our skin from the sun, ride motorcycles/snowmobiles, don’t ware helmets/seat belts/live jackets, pound our bodies by boating too fast in rough water, etc.

The multitude of unhealthy and dangerous things us humans knowingly do to our bodies is truly amazing.

Dave Gulczinski

I witnessed a crash like this when I was in highschool. The guy was t-boned by and elderly man who blew a stoplight. I watched the biker go into the windshield of the car. No helmet. The result was the same. I can still see this in my mind like it was yesterday. I used to be a part time cop in Hastings for 10 years in the 80’s. I saw numerous cycle deaths that in my mind would have been different results if helmets were worn.
Just my $.02.
Tuck

After burying a cousin and a friend, as well as another buddy losing about 4″ of length in his leg all in the same summer, I quit. None of them were at fault other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sold the bike and haven’t rode one since. The day all cars are banned on the rode, I’ll have one again. Keep your eyes open!

I can certainly understand everyone’s decision to shy away from motorcycles…………I’ve had numerous close encounters myself. However, I have to look at it this way, or I’d never leave the house.

Lightening could strike me anywhere. I could be caught up in forces of nature just as easily as forces of man. But I can’t live free and live in fear at the same time. As a cycling enthusiast, I’ve learned that I can depend on no one to be safer than myself when I’m balanced on two wheels, a track and 2 ski’s, the wheel of my auto, or propelling over water.

Some wish to end their days while sleeping and end up battling cancer for years. The point is that we can’t control everything no matter how hard we try. How about the truck driver who got killed by an airplane crashing onto the freeway? What about 9/11? Irresponsibility is one thing but the occurance of accidents can’t be feared. All we can do is prepare, be cautious, and live while we’re alive to do so.

I know more people who’ve grown old on motorcycles and died from health problems than people perishing in the event of an accident. I know of more car accidents than motorcycle accidents. I know of one guy who saw the accident coming, got hit, and walked away. The difference? Only God knows. Some guys make a living out of wiping out, without injury, at 180 mph! Preparation and training saves them numerous times.

In all this, I don’t mean to imply that if you don’t ride bike, you live in fear. That’s not my message at all. But I don’t want to see others discouraged from experiencing the thrill of cycling either. Of the thousands of bikes on the road everyday, how many actually suffer an incident?

Training is key. If you ride, wear all the gear you can stand and get some training. Unless you’re all alone on a winding, back contry road, be aggressive about your awareness and safety. See the encounter brewing before you encounter it. Limit your exposure to high traffic volumes…………you can’t control them. If you’re unsure of anything, stop. Go out of your way to be seen…………and prepared in case you aren’t. Don’t look for what’s in the intersection, look at what’s approaching the intersection.

There’s still no 100% guarantee in anything we do so maximize your percentages and prepare, prepare, prepare.

Kid;
I agree with you, in that you can’t live in fear. However, when people have family and loved ones who they are responsible for, they need to take the appropriate measures to ensure they maintain those responsibilities through the thick and thin. We have all done things in the past that we look in the mirror and wonder how we survived. But those experiences are in the past. My perspective on life changed forever when my daughter was born 9 years ago. The bikes were gone, the hot-rods were gone, and I started to appreciate beer for the flavor, not the factor. This wasn’t a conscientious decision; it was one that came based on instinct. I didn’t wake up and tell myself this had to change, it just did. People have to take the necessary measurements to ensure that they take care of those who they are responsible for.

Would the helmet make a difference, I don’t know. But I do know this; my cousin is a state trooper. He got caught up in a high speed chase with a guy on a crotch-rocket. The guy stopped quick, trying to turn-around, when my cousin slid into him. The trooper’s car mirror hit the bikes mirror. The guy fell off the bike and hit his head on the curb. He was going about 10 mph at the time of impact. The guy (a 55 year old CEO) died. A helmet would have made the difference and he would still be taking care of his responsibilities (his family).

I also watched my cousing loose a battle with a gravel road on his dirt bike, all because he didn’t wear a helmet. 5 hours later in the surgery room, they got all the gravel out of his mouth and reattached his tongue.

I apologize if I’m coming across as preaching, but each and every morning I thank God that I have my daughter and all the other wonderful things that life has granted me (plenty of walleyes and muskies)

Peace,
G-

I know the family sure appreciates all the prayers that you are sending out to them. I just got another update on Barb – she underwent surgery yesterday to pin some of the broken bones in her legs and is expected to go thru another sugery today. It sounds like most of her injuries are to her lower extremities (Legs and Hips). She is expected to remain at the hopsital in Marshfield for several weeks yet and then will be transferred closer to home to finish her recovery at a hospital near her family.

Below is a brief that appeared in the Wausau Daily Herald:
HOLTON – A Minnesota man was killed Monday in a motorcycle crash at the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway F.

Jon C. Nord, 41, and his passenger, Barbara Ann Nord, 42, both of Zumbrota, Minn., were thrown from their motorcycle when it crashed into a vehicle driven by Verna V. Dallmann, 75, of Unity. Dallmann had pulled onto Highway 29 after stopping at a stop sign, according to a Marathon County Sheriff’s Department report.
Jon Nord was pronounced dead at the scene. Barbara Ann Nord was transported to Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield and was in the intensive care unit as of Monday night. Dallmann was not injured.

I have worked with Barb for the past eight years. What a shock reading the reports for the last couple days then reading the last one and realize that you know the people that your reasding about. My thoughts and prayres go out to her and her family in this tragic time of need.

Gator Hunter

My wife, my son and I all ride. Once you’ve minimized all risks – helmet, proper protective gear, proper bike maintenance, motorcycle safety courses; basic and advanced, no drinking until after the ride, speed management, common sense, etc, I’m convinced that you are pretty safe on a bike. Statistics are grim until they are analyzed. Most deaths are youngsters on crotch rockets, helmetless and/or drunk.

I hope this doesn’t come across in the wrong way. I am glad to see her injuries to her lower extremities were limited to bone damage. When I was there, I feared the worst- paralysis. At that time, she really couldn’t move anything beyond her fingers. I am keeping her in my prayers.

nubbinbuck:

I know what you are saying – it could have been a lot worse. I haven’t heard any updates since the last one that I posted here so I continue to pray that she will have a full recovery.

Kristin

Just wondering if anyone has an update on her? thanks.

Barb is doing a lot better. I believe she was transferred to her local hospital recently. She has a long way to go though. I’ll give a more detailed report tomorrow.

Gator Hunter